It keeps raining

I am here listening to the rain.
The "rain" keeps coming down in the news from home.
A niece has lost her baby and is in the hospital. All those dreams and effort gone when she has so much love to give.
A missionary friend from my first mission lost his battle with cancer.
Lives are changing because of the fires in California.
I have sisters and brothers in heavy trials of grief and pain.

I've been watching the farmers on the riverbank deal with all the rain. Some have had their efforts washed away. One created a place so a pool of water would develop - was it intentional? One team put up plastic sheets on the very edge of the river. I am wondering if they are trying to make a sandbar or something similar to capture silt as it flows along.

How is rain dealt with?
I will be witnessing how my family members deal with their typhoons.
I hear lots of stories about the fires and miracles of assistance and empathy and am so sad about the looters and those who profit in others misery.

Today I plan to be of the most assistance I possibly can. I am getting soup and supplies for a friend coming home from the hospital and sewing up some skirts for a wedding. Jeffrey just left for a meeting with Elder Haynie and other religious leaders and will be gone part of the day. Each of us contributing a tiny light in an ocean of need. Sometimes I feel as effective as a sand wall on the beach and sometimes I can feel God's warmth and approval.  I know my prayers for my family will only be as effectual as their appeals to God.  It would be nice to be bringing them soup - but probably as useful as a sand castle on the beach. Maybe I'll just pray for other ministering angels to be of assistance in ways that will really help.